Forest fire reaches Kasauli boarding school, students evacuated

Two IAF helicopters made nine sorties from Nainital and Pauri and poured water over the flaming forests as 10,000 personnel fought numerous infernos on the ground.

The forest fires raging through large parts of Uttarakhand began showing signs of abating, however, they reached a boarding school in Himachal Pradesh's Kasauli. The evacuation of the children began soon after the fire started.

The number of active fires dropped sharply to 40 in the hill state and the Centre claimed the situation was under control. Three persons were arrested from Pithoragarh and Nainital for burning dry leaves of Cheed and stoking the fires.

"There are only 40 active fires in the state today (Monday) in comparison to yesterday's (Sunday's) 73 which is an encouraging sign. It shows the situation is gradually getting under control. Today there were 271 incidents of forest fires in the state out of which 232 have been extinguished," Additional Chief Secretary (Forest) S Ramaswamy said. Two IAF helicopters made nine sorties from Nainital and Pauri and poured water out of Bamdi buckets over the flaming forests as 10,000 personnel fought numerous infernos on the ground.

Panic gripped Lawrence school, Sanawar near Kasauli, on Monday as fires raging in adjoining forests advanced towards the school. "The fires were brought under control and no damage was caused to the 169-year-old residential school and the situation was normal," said R Chauhan, a senior teacher of the school.

Fire tenders were rushed to the forests which fought the flames for nearly two hours and brought them under control. The forest officials said it was ground fire caused by burning of dry pine needles and such fires are common during the summer and a number of fires has occurred in forests in Kasauli and surrounding areas but all these had been put out.